Particle physics intro
Undergraduate · Physics
Syllabus focus
Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Particles and interactions
- Fundamental fermions and bosons
- Strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces
- Feynman diagrams at tree level
- Conservation laws and quantum numbers
- Cross sections and luminosity in colliders
Standard Model overview
- Quark model and hadron spectroscopy
- Electroweak unification and W/Z bosons
- Higgs mechanism and mass generation
- Neutrino oscillations and PMNS matrix
- CP violation and the CKM matrix (intro)
Experiments and frontiers
- LHC detectors: ATLAS and CMS roles
- Jet reconstruction and b-tagging concepts
- Dark matter and neutrino experiments
- Beyond-SM hints: supersymmetry and GUTs overview
- Gravitational waves as complementary probe
Theoretical / proof-based
Symmetry principles
- Lie groups U(1), SU(2), SU(3) in particle physics
- Gauge invariance and covariant derivatives
- Spontaneous symmetry breaking and Goldstone bosons
- Chiral symmetry and anomaly cancellation
- Isospin and flavor SU(3) algebra
Scattering theory
- S-matrix unitarity and optical theorem
- Partial wave analysis and resonances
- Helicity amplitudes and crossing symmetry
- Renormalization group flow in QCD (intro)
- Effective field theory power counting
Advanced formalism
- Dirac equation and spinor bilinears
- Quantization of scalar fields preview
- Path integrals for propagators
- Ward identities and gauge fixing
- Neutrino Majorana vs Dirac mass terms
Study units
Each unit includes a study guide, worksheets, review, practice test, and answer key. One unit is free; subscribe for the full class.
- Particles and interactions
Fundamental fermions and bosons
Coming soon - Standard Model overview
Quark model and hadron spectroscopy
Coming soon - Experiments and frontiers
LHC detectors: ATLAS and CMS roles
Coming soon
Notes
Topics reflect common upper-division physics syllabi at US colleges and universities. Prerequisites, lab pairing, and mathematical depth vary by department.